music therapy towards schizophrenia, negative symptoms

Conditions: Schizophrenia

Summary: the aim of this national study is to examine whether music therapy can reduce negative symptoms and raise quality of life for patients suffering from schizophrenia. it is an randomized controlled trial (rct), double-blinded study with two arms. 120 participants are anticipated. the two arms consist of 25 weekly hours of music therapy by educated music therapists and time compensated music listening by unknown care staff members. the study is a close cooperation between aalborg university (the music therapy research clinic) and aalborg university hospital, psychiatry.

schizophrenia includes 1 % of the population in denmark (dk) and often ends up to be chronically. negative symptoms are difficult to reduce by medication and psychosocial treatment possibilities are searched for. three cochrane reviews (2005, 2011, 2017) have been conducted concerning music therapy and schizophrenia with positive results. this rct, double-blinded study aims at verifying, if these results can be recognized in the danish health system. it also aims at being similar to biomedical study designs as much as possible to strengthen the evidence of the study. a power calculation showed, that a minimum of 44,5 participants in each arm should be available, but as drop out can be anticipated with this population, 60 participants in each arm were recommended. the screening procedure is comprehensive as it aims at securing, that the negative symptoms are part of the illness schizophrenia and not side effects from medication or simultaneous depression (see the inclusion- and exclusion criteria). the measurement tools are as follows: at baseline, after 15 sessions and at termination: * the positive and negative syndrome scale (panss), * brief negative symptom scale (bnss), * quality of life (whoqol-bref), * calgary depression scale for schizophrenia (cdss), * board of clinical examinations (danish questionnaire) (uku) * global assessment of functioning scale (gaf) 4 weeks after termination follow up interview. in the arm of music therapy audio recording of music interventions are done in session 1,15 and 25. * helping alliance questionnaire, patient version, (haq-ii) this haq-ii is filled out after 5 sessions and after 15 sessions and at termination together with a research assistant in both arms.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * 18 - 65 years * a diagnosis of schizophrenia international classification of diseases (icd-10 (f20)) * the positive and negative syndrome scale (panns), negative subscale has to show ≥ 4 on two of the following parameters: (n1) subdued affect, (n2) emotional withdrawal, (n3) poor contact and (n4) passive/apathetic social withdrawal. exclusion criteria: * debut of schizophrenia less than 2 years ago. * patients in acute worsening of schizophrenia defined as hospitalization within the last three months. * panns positive subscale (p1-p7) \>28. * patients who have their psychotropics changed within the last months. * significant drug dependency conflicting participation in the study. * presence of secondary symptoms defined as depression - cdss score \> 7 * neurological side effects - uku score \> 1 in one of the following items: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 2.6 * sedative side effects - uku item 1.3 score \> 1. * no individual music therapy within the last two months

Keywords: music therapy double-blinded randomized controlled study (rct) schizophrenia, negative symptoms